Combined safety joint and jar



Aug., 1o, 1943.,

J. G. RICHEY COMBINED'SAFETY JOINT AND JAR Filed Nov. 22. 1939 @newsv- RIC/1E Y.

` A TTD/ene x Patented Aug. 1G, 1943 amasar 'ooMBiNED SAFETY JOINT AND JAR James G. Richey, Alhambra, Calif. application November 2 2, 1939, serial Nc. 305,635

' s-claims (C1. 255-27) Myv invention relates generallyto oil well tools and appliances and more particularly to a com-l bined safety-joint and jar and my present invenA tion is an improvement on the Oil well toolA vibrator patented byline November 3, 1931, No

1,829,758. y A Y l Y The principalV objects of my present invention are, to generally improve upon the construc-l tion of the oil well tool vibrator or jar disclosed in my aforesaid patent, aswell as other-existing forms Vof jars and vibrators and further, to provide a tool ofthe character referred to which,.in

addition to providing a safety joint between the lower end of the drill pipe and the tool or device thatY is connected to the lower end thereof, also functions as a jar or vibrator for imparting hammer-like blows or impulses directly .to a drillor other tool that has become lodged or stuck in the formation at the lowerend ofthe well hole and which jarring action is generally effective in loosening the drill or other implementso that the same may continue to perform its intended Y functions. f Y

Furtherobjects of my invention are, to provide a device of the character referred to that may be easilyLa-nd quickly disconnected from the drill,

packer or other implementthat is carried at the lower end. of the drill string, further, to construct the safety joint and jar so that uid may readily circulate therethrough and further, Ato provide the tool with simple and efcient means that acts automatically to prevent the sleeve or bowl por-A tion of the tool from unscrewing from the threadf ed mandrel as a result of the weight of said sleeve;A whenv the drill string and tool carried thereby are elevated so vas to lift the lower'end of the drill, Vreamer or like ,implement fromv the formation at the bottom of the well hole.

Further'objects of my invention are, to construct the `safety joint and jar so as to effectively prevent mud, fluid and the likefrom entering the chamber between thefexternally threaded mandrel and the internally threaded sleeve or bowl that co-operates with the mandrel in producing the jars or impulses transmitted to the tool or implement carried at the lower end of the drill string and further, to provide means for minimizing the friction between the co-operating threads on the mandrel and the sleeve while the drill string and mandrel that is connected thereto are being rotated.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will be hereinaftermorefully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a cross section taken lengthwise through the center of my improved safety joint and jar and showing the drill string and mandrel in elevated positionrelative to the sleeve o-r bowl. Fig. 2 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 1 showing the mandrel at the lower- Vendofits movement within the sleeve or bowl. Fig. 3 is an elevational viewof the threaded mandrel andthe-sub or coupling that is utilized for connecting the mandrel to the lower endof the drill string. Y Y Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 isa horizontal section taken. on the `line (i-BofFigZ. v

Fig. 7 isY an elevational view of a portiono-f the internally threaded sleeve or b owl that encloses taken on theline and co-operates with the mandrel, withlparts broken away and in section'. Fig. 8 is a vcross section taken approximately on the line 8--8 `of Fig. 2 and looking upwardly against thetubular member which projects from the upper end of the sleeve and receives the lower' portionof the sub. A Y Fig. 9 is an elevational View partly in section of the brake or friction device utilized for pre'- venting rthe mandrel from becoming accidentally unscrewed from the sleeve or bowl.

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional View showing the anti-friction means utilized between theinterengaging threads on theomandrel and sleeve. y, Referring bynumerals to the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of-rny invention, IIJ designates the lower` most portion of the lower member of the drill string, which lower portion is internally threaded for the reception of the externally threaded pin j orplug portionlI that is formed on the upper end of the cylindrical body I2 of a sub or coupling.

Formed integral with or rigidly secured to the lower end ofthe coupling member I2 is a tubular mandrel I3, the duct thro-ugh which communicates with an axial duct I4 that is formed through the coupling member i2 and the threaded pin I I at the upper end thereof.

Screw seated in the lowerend of the mandrel is the upper portion of a wash or circulation pipe I5, which latter extends axially downward through the sub or coupling member It that is utilized for connecting the combined safety joint and jar to the drill, reamer, packer, or other ap-y pliance that is carried by the lower end of the drill string.

The members forming the drill string are tubular and thus the duct I 4, passage-way through mandrel I3 and the pipe I5 provide means whereby circulation fluid or mud may be pumped downwardlyto the toolor appliance carried by the lower end of the drill string.

The upper end portion of sub I6 is externally threaded for engagement in the internally threaded lower end of a sleeve or bowl IT which encloses the mandrel I3 and formed integral with or secured to the upper end of this sleeveis a short tubular extension I 8 that has sliding engagement with the lower portion of the sub or coupling member I2.

The internal diameter of sleeve I8 is slightly larger than the internal diameter of sleeve II.

Formed on the sub or coupling member I2 is a circumferential shoulder I9 which, when the sub lil is at its lower limit of movement, occupies a position immediately adjacent the upper end ci the tubular extension I8, but during the operation of the tool there is no jarring'action between said shoulder I9 and the upper end of member i8.

When the sub I2 is at its lower limit of movey ment with respect to the sleevell as illustrated in Fig. 2. the upper end of said sleeve bears directly againsta shoulder on the lower end ofthe lower portion ofthe sub orthat portion that is surrounded by the tubular extension I8, and this engagement cooperates with the engagement between the upper end of tubular extensionV I8 and shoulder I9 in eectually preventing' telescopic movement of the sub I2 and sleeve ITV-toward each other.

Formed'in that portion'of the sub'that is enclosed by the tubular extension iii-is a circum-V ferential groove 20 -that receives a suitable packing 2|, therebypreventing circulation uid and mud from passing through the joint between the lower portion of Vsub I2 and tubular member I8 into the chamber within thesleeve 'II that is occupied by the co-operating threads'on the mandrel and sleeve.

' To pack the jointbetween the circulation pipe I5 and the lower portion o! the sleeve I I that receives the sub i6, a. packing 22 occupies a groove formed in sleeve I'I around the opening'througn tend entirely around the mandrelgbut is formed so that a slight'space is produced between `the ends of the thread portion, one end being disposed above the other with a space equal tothe width of the thread between said ends. Y

'Formed integral with the sleeve -or bowl I7 on the interior thereof is a thread that is interrupted'by having portions cut away to form aseries-cf thread sections 25, preferablysquare in crcsssection and which are adapted to Aengage and cooperate with the corresponding thread sections 24 on the mandrel. The length of the threads 25 on the sleeve is practically the same d as the threads 24 on the mandrel, nameiy, alittle less than three hundred sixty `deg'rees'sothat the ends of said threads are spaced apart circumferentially of the sleeve a lfew degrees and verticallya distance equal to or slightly greater than the width of the lthread sections-2l. i Y

Formed integral with'or fixed to the upper portiOnof mandrel 13 vis a lug 26 that'provides 'a stop against which the upper end 'of the uppermost one of Athe thread members 25 'on the sleeve is adapted to engage, thus limiting the upward movement of the sleeve on the mandrel and likewise limiting the downward movement of said mandrel within said sleeve.

In order to producev sufiicient friction between the mandrel carrying sub I2 and the sleeve I'I to prevent said sleeve from unscrewing from the mandrel and droppingoff the lower end of the drill string while the same is being elevated or pulled upwardly through the vdrill hole, a brake of the over-running clutch type and illustrated in Figs. 4, V, and 9 is arranged on the mandrel between the stop lug 26 and the lower end of the body of the sub I2.

This friction device includes a plurality of short vertically disposed rollers 2'I that are positioned' in pockets formed between the ends of blocks 2I,vthe latter being suitably secured to the mandrel I3 and which rollers in moving through the pcr clrets roll upon inclined faces 20 that are formed on the periphery of the mandrel and which formthe bottoms of said pockets. These rollers are normally pressed toward the high portions of the inclined faces 29 by expansive springs' that arearrahged between said rollers and-the ends of the blocks 28. Y

Each roller is provided onits ends with axially disposed pins 3| which occupyinclined slots 82 thatl are formed in cage rings 33 and which latter are disposed above and below the rollers 21 and blocks 2l. f

As a result of this construction, the rollers 21 A under theinuence of the expansion springs Il tend to roll vup the inclined surfaces brand cond sequently'moving radially outward to' frictlonally engage the inner surface of the sleeve or 'bowl n and tous, when the arm string is pulled up.

wardly through thewellA holeihe sleeve will be prevented from becoming accidentally unscrewed from the mandrel due to the weight of said sleeve and the parts carried thereby.- 1

Where the jar Ais constructed so as to rotate I clockwise or toward the-'right hand as Illustrated in the drawing, Vthe tool is"made up until the parts occupy the positions as illustrated in Fig. 2,

with Ithe upper end of the sleeve I1 bearing against the shoulder at thelower end of the sub I-Z landwhiehshoulder is `just above and surrounds the l clutch. When so positioned, the clutchi-s disposed within the upper portion of the sleeve I 1 lwith the rollers of said clutch bearing against the inner face of the sleeve.'v Thus the sleeve islooked to the 'sub in `its' elevated position with respect to the mandrel by the clutch and the parts occupy these positions while the tool and drill'string are being lowered intov the Well, and likewise they occupy such positions if the tool kis made up" after having been run into the well with the lower end of the drill carried `by the sleeve, resting von the bottom of the well hole. Thus the ,clutch holds the sleeve and drill from running off the mandrel while the -tool and drill string are being run into the hole, yand durmg drilling operations as the string is rotated toward the right hand 'the' parts retain Itheir. made up" positions so that the tool operates asa single piece while drilling. f

To impart downward jar to the sleeve anddrill carried thereby, the drill string is rotated toward the letthand and at the same time with an .upward pull 4or stress, `which action disengages the rollers of theV clutch from the inner face of the upper -end of thesleeve, such movement requiring about a half turn. Such action positions the threads on the-mandrel above the. 'threads on the sleeve and the drill string is now rotated toward the left hand without the upper stress or'V sleeve and tool carried thereby, the drill string is rotated toward the left hand with upward stress until the threads on the sleeve and mandrel are disengaged and the drill string is then rotated toward the right hand with continued upward stress, with the result that the threads on the mandrel will strike against the under facesof the threads on the sleeve, thus producing the upward jar to said sleeve and parts carried thereby.

To resume drilling `after jarring operations, the drill string is of its own weight lowered until the shoulder at the upper end of the sleeve engages the lower end of sub I2 with the clutch disposed within the upper portion of the sleeve and the drill string is now rotated toward the right hand to make up the jar, with the parts occupying the positions as illustrated in Fig. 2. At such time the clutch secures the upper end of the sleeve to the lower end of the sub'.

While imparting either upward or downward jarring movement to the sleeve and tool carried thereby, the clutch is positioned above the upper end of sleeve il and which condition is possible due to the spacing of the threadsections on the interior of the sleeve and on the mandrel. In

this connection, it will be noted that thev thread" sections on both sleeve and mandrel are arranged in pairs and which pairs are spaced apart a distance equal to one complete thread convolution.

Io release the mandrel from the sleeve and drill carried thereby, the drill string is rotated to-v l ward the left hand with an upward stress, and thus the mandrel will be unscrewed Vfrom the sleeve, thus enabling the drill string to be withdrawn from the well hole, leaving the sleeve and tool therein.

In order to decrease the friction between the I co-operating faces of the interrupted threads on the mandrel and sleeve when the mandrel carried by the drill string is being rotated, rollers v34 of hardened metal are loosely mounted in recesses formed in the upper portions of the' thread sections 24 and the peripheries of these rollers project just above the upper surfaces of the threads so as to provide an anti-friction support for the threads 25 on the sleeve when the threads 24 and 25 are in engagement with each other (see Fig.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a combined safety joint and jar that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture and very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended. Y

The device is provided with a duct Vwhich enables circulation fluid to readily ow from the drill string to the tool carried by the lower end thereof and the joints between the mandrel and sleeve are effectively packed so as to prevent any of the circulation iiuid from entering the cham-V ber in which the cooperating thread sections on the mandrel and sleeve are located.

Further advantages of my improved construe-r tion are the .brake or clutch structure which is effective inrlockingt'ne sleeve to themandrel so that said sleeve can not unscrew'and drop off the mandrel'while said sleeve is beingwithdrawn from the well, also the kanti-friction members lo-l cated in the upper surfaces of the thread sections I on the mandrel for minimizing friction between said thread sections and the threadsections on the sleeve while the mandrel is under upward strains.

It willV be understood thatminor changes in the Y shown and described, without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a combined safety jointand jar, a mandrel, a sleeve enclosing said mandrel, co-operating interrupted threads on said mandrel and sleeve and means carried by said mandrel for automatically gripping said sleeve to prevent the same from unscrewing from the mandrel as a result of the weight of said mandrel and the parts carried thereby when the same are lifted from the bottom of the well hole. e

2. In a combined safety joint and jar, a mandrel, a sleeve surrounding saidmandrel, co-operof its travel downwardly into said sleeve forv automatically gripping said sleeve and preventing the same romunscrewing from the mandrel as a result of the weight of said sleeve and the parts carriedtherebywhen the same are lifted from the bottom of thewell hole. y y

3. A combined safety joint and jar as set forth in claim 2, with means forproducing a iiuid tightY joint between said mandrel and sleeve above the sleeve gripping means carried'by said mandrel.

4. A-combined safety joint and jar,` a mandrel, 1

a sleeve surrounding said mandrel, the lower portion of which sleeve is internally threaded for the reception of the threaded end of a toolor a tool carrying sub, a' plurality of Aspaced pairs of interrupted threads on saidmandrel, a plurality Y of cooperating spaced interrupted threads on the interiorof said sleeve and means carried by the'A mandrel for automatically gripping the sleeve to prevent the latter from unscrewing fromv themandrel as a result of the weight of said sleeve and partscarried thereby when the same are lifted from the bottom of the well hole.

` 5. InY a combined safety joint and jar, a man- 'Y drel, a sleeve surrounding said mandrel, co-operating interrupted threads on said mandrel and sleeve, means for limiting the movement of .the

mandrel and sleeve longitudinally toward each other and means on the mandrel for gripping the sleeve to prevent the same from unscrewing from said mandrel due to the weight of said sleeve and parts carried thereby as the same are lifted from the bottom of the well hole. Y

JAMES Gr. RICHEY; 

